Supporting structure for electrical units



Jan. 24, 1950 J. MARKOWlTZ SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR ELECTRICAL UNITS Filed July 17, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORZ Li romeflwrkowzi' J ATTOR Jan.24,1950

J. MARKOWITZ STRUCTURE FOR ELECTRICAL UNIT Filed July 17,- 1.946

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m [J U U L1 Ll W U T] 1QL11fiLlLiLLl Patented Jan. 24, 1950 mlegfome? =Markowitz, Allentowlnl Ba.,-..assignr to Allenl Organf Compa corporation of Pennsylvania :Appiication FJiIlY. "17,

4TClaims. s1

Thisinventiomconce ns supporting means-tor combining certaineiectrical: units for v elements of iarr electrical "musical instrument. or the like, in vsuch manner as .to-facilitateaccess-z to the-respec- -.tivelunits and to establish aelogicalidentifying :relationship between theindividuaLunits andthe unit-operating elements of the: instrument.

Electrical units. such as the. tone-producing units of electrical organs, comprise onev or more space discharge devices, or vacuumtubes. @Many such units are .-.usually. collectively supported withina cabinet,..or housing,.which housing. is adapted .to be located at. a .convenient place, .so that the electricalecfuipme'nttherein. is readily accessible for repair or other purposes. When one or more of the said tubes OLSDE/Cd discharge de'vices burns out, or otherwisefails' to" function properly, the respective tone-producing 'u'nit'with which the impaiIed tube cooperates, willf'ob- "'Viou'sly' fail tofun'ction as intended. A"failure of this" type becomes immediately apparent? to the" operator" of the organ; when-- depression of a particular key "on the 'keyboa'rdof the'instrumenteither Tails toprdducethe'tone represented "by that 'key; or produces afaulty tone. "In "order "to "determine whether-the defect-iscaused by-an impaired-tube} iii-becomes necessary to'loc'ate the tube of-'the-tone producing unit so affected. Finding; or tracing-, a particular tube;- among the numerous tubes within thecabinet 01 housing,,

ordinarily'requires the kncwledge and sk-ill of someone familiar with the arrangem'ent and-location "ofthe respective tone producing units;*a-nd the tubesassociatedtherewith. Persons who play,

or practiceon; electrical musicalfinstruments are usually not familiar with the electrical equipament of suchtinstruments.iiI-Ieretofore; such .p'erlsons were"-consequ'entlyccompelled 1 enlistithe I services *of. a: qualified repair man ;to:1ocate :and

replace Lthe tubeiOf the faulty: tone-producing unit, and this entailed more or less expense,-.;and considerable loss of time.

One object of my invention is to Provide. novel supporting or: mounting; means fort-combining certain electrical -units or elements, :such as r the tone-producing units 'of'electricai' organs: and the like, which eliminatesthe referred .toand other difliculties.

Another-object is to provide such supporting means having structural and functional features;

7 of. advantage over the similarmeans ofthe prior art.

Another object is to provide-such. means which mmakes it possible for. ahpersontplaying anelectricaLmusicalinstrument such as an organ, and.

.252 knowing the note or letter which designates-. the tone produced by depressing asparticul-ars key of the1 keyboard, to quicklyrand easily-zlocate= the corresponding .-Y.tone.-producing;: unit sand -its-; --co- 5 i-r operatively associated tube; soct'hat said person can. directlysascertain whether rthe-tube of the unit is impaired and canthen directly overcome this difiiculty by substituting. a newvtube, or ascertain Whether the .-.tone.deect1is due to..- some 10 other cause requiring moreaskilled. attention.

.tAnotherobject isvtoa .prov-idez-v-novel: identified supportin .imeans for certain; electricalmunits, A which will. greatlyfacilitate :the Work10f*a :repair v oruservice. man, .in locating and" overcoming) any defects which develop in such units duringiuse. .Another: object a is. vto -==provide .-novel :electrical unitsupporting :means having-.- identifying: markingsthereonlin correspondencewith-certain ef- 'ifects. produced. byitheaunits; .orrcertains unitoperating :parts, suchs-as-i the notes-son tones emitted by a. musical instrument or'the respective keys ofu-the keyboardwhich constitute; the operatingnelements .oftlthe units.

A further-objectis-to pro-vide such supporting means which-includes a p1urality.of--:separate sec- =.ntionalesupportinga members, .each-.0f which is adapted to combinedly supportin axcertain order an the electrical tone-producing units-oi anelectrical .musical instrument which'produce I a ceratain individual note, :for example all the-aunits which produce the note iAA in the various". tone octaves of the .--instrument.

It is also an object-toprovide such supporting --means. for: electrical. :organs,..- in whichv the- -said separate .zsectional supporting memberseare won- .VenientIy-arranged insspaced superimposed relationship with respect .to each-= other so--. thatithe electrical vunits. associated with said membemare readily laccessible ,ior repair or othergpurposes, and. in which each. of said. cnembershas markings thereon corresponding with-the :musicalwtones or notesnpr'oduced ,bylthe'electrical unitsv associated u'with said memberslthereby -to, provides-visual .;..means. whichnindicateslthe.location ofthemespec- .jtive -units. and ;their 1 associated tubes, as related tolthe iunit-mper'ati-ng keysilofijthe lorganifwhich ..are" depressed-to, produce the vtones.

.j An additionalroloject is totprovidesuch support- -ing. means :comprising-aa -novellframe structure ior combinedly supporting. afplurality Ofthesaid vseparate.sectional amounting members in; uch manner. that thertubes onspacemdischargesdevices -associated with each tone-producing -.unit .cambe a quicklyw and .easilyr identifiedr and removed. w Af fuithera objectiwisitoiprovidea.. supporting structure for the electrical oscillator units of an electrical organ, comprising an arrangement or related location of the component parts which can be readily understood by anyone familiar with the fundamentals of music.

Another object is to provide such a structure which will enable anyone familiar with musical fundamentals to quickly locate each particular tone-producing unit f the organ, and thereby facilitate making desired or required adjustments, such as tuning, voicing, etc.

With these and other objects in view, which will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of one practical and illustrative embodiment of the improvements shown in the accompanying drawings, the inven-' tion comprises the novel supportingmeans, elements, features of construction and arrangement of parts in cooperative relationship, as more particularly defined by the hereto appended claims.

, In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of supporting means for mounting the tone-producing units of an electrical musical instrument, such as an electrical organ, which embodies my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a separate sectional supporting member or device, which forms part of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the device shown in Fig. 2, and indicates one practical and illustrative way in which the tone-producing units of an electrical musical instrument may be combined or associated therewith.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the arrows l4 on Fig. 2.

The form of supporting or mounting means for electrical units, disclosed in the accompanying drawings, illustrates one practical embodiment of my invention. The particular supporting structure shown is provided for combining in novel manner the electrical tone-producing units of an electrical musical instrument, such as an electrical organ or the like. As the description proceeds, it will become apparent that the novel elements and features of the supporting structure and their cooperative arrangement, as disclosed, can be utilized in similar manner to provide the benefits and advantages of my invention in other forms of supporting structures and for other types of electrical units.

In general, the supporting structure of my invention comprises a multiplicity of separate or individual sectional casing members I, l l I, I and I which are adapted to be removably mounted in relatively spaced superimposed relationship on a frame or chassis device 2. All the said sectional members are substantially alike,

and only the one designated by the reference numeral I will, consequently, be specifically described, so as to avoid repetitive description.

The member I is partly formed of light-Weight metal, such as aluminum, or some other suitable material, and, as shown, is of an elongated rectangular configuration. The top of the member I is preferably formed so as to include two separate substantially solid top wall panels or sections 3 and 4, of insulating material, such as Bakelite, plastic material, hard rubber, etc. The panels 3 and 4 are arranged to be secured in any suitable manner to flanges 3 and l of the casing member I. Side walls and 6, and end walls 1 and 8, are preferably, but not necessarily, ar-

ranged so as to form an integral casing of metal,

such as aluminum, which is open at its bottom. Centrally located between the side wall sections 5 and 6, is a longitudinally extending channelshaped section 9 arranged to receive, or have seated therein, a continuous element III, which may be of metal or insulating material and is provided with sockets II adapted to receive the various space discharge devices, or vacuum tubes Il arranged to be cooperatively associated with certain electrical units hereinafter more particularly described. The channel-shaped section 9 is also preferably, but not necessarily formed of metal, such as aluminum. Integral base or foot extensions I2 and I3 are formed at the bottom of each of the side wall sections 5 and 6, and the section 9 is provided with as many apertures I I as there are sockets II in the element I0, which apertures are located so that they will register with the bottom ends of said sockets.

Fig. 3 of the drawings more particularly indicates, in dot-and-dash outline, one practical arrangement of a multiplicity of individual electrical tone-producing units U, conveniently mounted within the casing member I.- Each of the units U is arranged to be fastened or secured to the casing member I, in the position indicated, by suitable conventional means, such as bolts or other fastening devices (not shown), which devices are adapted to be inserted through apertures or Slots I5 in the top wall sections 3 and 4. In this manner, each of said units is maintained at a location directly adjacent to a vacuum tube socket II, as shown. By supporting the units U adjacent to, or against, the top panels or sections 3 and 4, which are of insulating material, losses are prevented or reduced from inductances or other electrical devices which form part of the oscillator circuits of the units U.

Normally, each tone-producing unit of the type here involved has cooperatively associated therewith at least one space discharge device, or vacuum tube Il For further information relative to electrical tone-producing units of the type referred to and adapted to be associated with the casing member I, reference may be had to my co-pending application Ser. No. 658,413, filed March 30, 1946, and later abandoned, or to the patents mentioned therein. It will be understood, however, that other types of electrical units may be mounted on the member I, substantially as indicated by the dot-and-dash lines, each of which units has associated therewith a greater number of space discharge devices Il and a correspondingly greater number of sockets II therefor. Consequently, a complete electrical, or tone-producing unit of the type hereinafter referred to, is to be understood as having at least one cooperating space discharge device, and a socket therefor, arranged substantially as shown.

In the arrangement shown in Fig.3, six of the tone-producing units U are arranged in aligned order between and along the side wall 5 of the member I, and the channel-shaped section 9. The said six tone-units U are all adapted to produce a certain tone, or note, as for example, the tone A, but the respective tones A of the respective units U differ from each other in pitch by an octave, or octave number, and as many units U are arranged to be mounted in adjacent aligned relationship in this manner as there are A keys on the organ keyboard, as determined by the number of octaves of the organ tone range. In other words, there are six tone-producing units U shown are 5,389

mounted 'along'ones'ideof the'casingmember I, and this indicates that the' tone -or note A is repeated sixtim'es on the keyboardof the electri- "cal organ with which the supporting structure is associated; and that each note -A-produced by "one-"of theunitsU constitutes one of the tones A of' theprogressive tone octaves *of the organ. In order to 'preventthe occurrence of electrical "interference between the respective tone-producing units U, theirjuxtaposed relationship issuch as 'l30" effect a non progressive "tone order of "the "adjacent units. Thiswill-become more apparent by referring to Fig. 3, which shows theunitsU ""thatproduce the note A arranged'in' accord- 'an'ce with the numbers ori'the bottom 'of'the foot "section I3. As shown, the unit U that produces 'the'lowest tone A 'ismou'nted adjacent to the numeral 1, theinext'imitwhich produces the tone A one octave higheri'is'm'ounted adjacent 'to'thehumeral 2; andso on 'up'to 6. The aligned 'arrangementcf the units U is consequently in 'theord'er of 6, 1, 3, 5, 2, 4. 'This arrangement "separates or spaces the units as much as possible and avoids" the 'referredtto electrical interference. Asfurtherindi'catedin Fig.3, the same ar- .ran'gement is followed with respectto tone-units U. which produce the itoneor note E, and six such E tone-units are mounted in aligned relationship in the casing member I, in similar manner as the A tone-units, between the channeh shaped section 55 and the side wall 5 of the memher I.

On the outside of the enclwalls I and 8 of the casing member I, the letters A and E are printed or "otherwise applied, so as to designate the tones or notes produced by the respective tone units arranged or mounted within the casing in linewith the said letters.

The top of the casing member I (see Fig; 2) is provided with lines 54, which extend cross-wise of the two top'w'all sections hand- 4, above each tone-unit, and these lines function as indicators 1 which point to the socket or space discharge de- -vice-. which is cooperatively associated with the respective tone-unit mounted within the casing member. directly beneath each line.

1 'Fromthe foregoing, it will be realized that the '-casing member I is provided with visual means which makes it possible to quickly and easily locate any particular electrical tone-producing unit vice, or socket therefor, is associatedwith a re -.spective"tone-uhit, the letters A and E on the end walls 7 and S of casing member I designate the particular tone produced by each toneunit, and the numerals at the bmttom of the foot sections it and i3, and the similar numerals on the flanges 3 and d indicate the octave of the respective tone produced by the adjacent toneproducing unit U, in accordance or correspondence with the octave key arrangement of the organ keyboard.

The other sectional casing members I I I, I and I of the supporting structure shown in Fig. 1, are arranged to have associated therewith all the additional tone-units of the electrical organ, in substantially the same manner as the member I combines the electrical units U which produce the respective tones A and E. More particularly, the member I combinedly supports all the electrical units U which produce the tones F-sharp and B; the member I", all the electrical units which produce the -.tones"C'-sh'arp *ahdGsharp, -and-so on; as=indicated'=in Fig. 1.

*It -willbe' noted that the rel'ation'ship "of-A to E',

5 rangement commonlyknown as-thefifth musical interval. This enables-"-anyone desiring to tune the organ to" do-= so with great 'facility because ofthe logicalrnusic'al -sequence and positioning of the individual tone-units relative to each other 10 and in accordance with the octavesbfa given note,for instancel-the-tone' A,=as above explained. Tuning ofa musical instrument; such as an" 'or- :"gang is usually carried "out-by'setting a tempera- "ment, that isys'etting all the -notes of a given -octaveintheir proper relationship. Invariably,

im'ent"of corresponding "numerals which directly relate the tone-unitsUwiththei keys on the keyb'oard'of'the *organ','inakes'iit possible 'toj'q'uickly locate any of the units of'theA toneor'E-tone "series mounted on'ithe' member, and their respective space dischargedevicesfirrespective whether the'c'asing member I is in normal position on the f'framedevice 2, or takentherefromand placed upside down'for'repair or other purposes.

The slotsor apertures l 5, in the panels 3 and 4 are arranged adjacent to each of? the electrical "unitsu: so as to permit the insertion there- "through of'boltsor 'otherfastening devices (not showny adapted to secure the units'U in"fixed 'relationto said panels. As schematically indiwpatedinoutline, and'gener'ally designated by the reference numeral 46, apertures, sockets, switches or other devices may also be provided in or along the side wall sections 5 afidlfifaiid'the ehdW'tll sections 1 and 8, as required and in such manner with respect 'toi'the unitsUas to form with'the latter a "complete unitary electrical .structure which'is compachand can be readily connected intdthe'electrical system ofthe organ.

The frame "or chassis device'or member 2 of the supporting structure, comprisesfou'r similar'vertically arranged metallic corner posts, or

angle elements I6, 11, 18 and" I9, which are joined at theirtop' and bottom ,by=transversely extending correspondingly shaped angle'elements 52B, 2! 22, 23 and 24125; 26 and 21. The various angle elementsare welded together, or otherwise joined, so that'they combinedly form a rigid frame device. Secured in intermediate spaced relationship between the top and bottom of the frame device 2, are similar opposed pairs of angle sections 28 and 29, arranged to 'slidingly receive and support the various separate casing members I, I, l I I and l as shown. The base or foot extensions I2 and I3 of the casing member I, slidingly engage or rest upon the top pair of angle sections 28 and 29, and the other casing members are similarly supported, so that all the casing members can be slidingly inserted and removed from the frame device 2.

To facilitate moving the frame device 2 from one location to another, rollers 0r casters 30 are provided at the corners thereof at its bottom, as shown.

The frame device 2 may also be provided with 75 a panel or other means 3|, on which may be mounted sockets, switches, or other electrical devices arrangedto form part of the electrical equipment of the organ, and to facilitate operation, connection and use of the same, as desired.

Of course, the improvements herein specifically shown and described can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention which is more particularly defined by the hereto appended claims.

I claim.

1. A supporting structure for a multiplicity of electrical musical tone-producing units that are individually operable by the keys of a musical instrument keyboard; comprising a vertical frame having mounted thereon in superimposed horizontal relation a plurality of elongated casings each adapted to have associated therewith in predetermined longitudinal order a plurality of separate electrical musical tone-producing units each of which includes at least one space discharge device; sockets for the space discharge devices associated with each casing and arranged in lengthwise spaced order along each casing; and surface portions on each casing having a visual system of identifyingmarks arranged to designate the musical tone produced by each respective musical tone-producingunit, the location of the unit relative to the casing, and the location of the space discharge device cooperatively associated with the unit.

2. A supporting structure for a multiplicity of electrical musical tone-producing units that are individually operable by the keys of a musical instrument keyboard; comprising a plurality of elongated casings mounted in superimposed aligned relationship with respect to each other, each of which casings is adapted to have associated therewith in predetermined longitudinal order a plurality of separate electrical musical tone-producing units each of which includes at least one space discharge device; sockets for the space discharge devices associated with the casing and arranged in lengthwise spaced order along said casing; and a visual system of identifying marks on said casing arranged to designate the musical tone produced by each respective musical tone-producing unit, the location Of the unit relative to the casing, and the location of the space discharge device cooperatively associated with the unit.

3. A supporting structure for a multiplicity of electrical musical tone-producing units that are individually operable by the keys of'a musical instrument keyboard; comprising two elongated casing members spacedly arranged in parallelism each of which members is adapted to have associated therewith in predetermined longitudinal order a plurality of individual electrical musical tone-producing units each including at least one space discharge device; sockets for the space discharge devices arranged in aligned intermediate relationship with respect to the tone-producing units of said casing members; and surface portions on each casing having a visual system of identifying marks arranged to designate the musical tone produced by each respective musical tone-producing unit, the location of the unit relative to its casing member, and the location of the space discharge device associated with each respective unit.

4. A supporting structure for a multiplicity of electrical musical tone-producing units that are individually operable by the keys of a musical instrument keyboard; comprising a plurality of elongated rectangular units mounted in superimposed aligned relationship with respect to each other, each of which units includes two casing members spacedly arranged in parallelism each of which is adapted to have associated therewith in predetermined longitudinal order a plurality of separate electrical musical tone-producing units including at least one space discharge device; sockets for the space discharge devices arranged in aligned intermediate relationship with respect to the members; an a visual system of identifying marks on said casing arranged to designate the musical tone produced by each musical tone-producing unit, the location of the unit relative to the casing, and the location of the space discharge device cooperatively associated with the unit.

JEROME MARKOWITZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 977,123 Olley Nov. 29, 1910 1,161,096 Whitney Nov. 23, 1915 1,492,309 Ogden Apr. 29, 1924 1,579,400 Samuels Apr. 6, 1926 1,629,825 Kenan et a1 May 24, 1927 1,902,790 Starrett 1 Mar. 21, 1933 2,187,910 Mohler Jan. 23, 1940 2,229,759 Mohler Jan. 28, 1941 2,250,065 Koehl July 22, 1941 2,343,284 Doddington Mar. 7, 1944 2,397,102 Graham Mar. 26, 1946 2,398,406 Brown et al. Apr. 16 1946 2,411,528 Dodin-gton Nov. 26, 1946 2,463,597 Cahill Mar. 8, 1949 

